Improvement in machines for cutting nail-plates



' ZSheets-Sheetl. L. sou-LE. MACHINE FOR CUTTING NAIL-PLATES.

,Patented Sept. 5,1876.

ZSheets-Sheetl, L. SOULE.

' MACHINE FOR CUTTING NAIL-PLATES.

Patented Sept. 5, 1876.

IL PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHNGTON, u C.

UNITED STATES LEANDER SOULE, OF TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PATENT OrrroEi "men @2 55 IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING NAlL-PLATES.

Specification forming partof Letters Patent No. 181,993. dated September5, 1876 application filed August 10, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEANDER SoULE, ofTaunton, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain Improvements in Machines for Chopping or Outting upSheet Metal into Tack and Nail Plates, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is aperspective view of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionthrough the center of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through thesame, taken in a plane passing through one of the adjustable gages andits operating mechanism. Fig. 4 isa perspective view of the holder, bywhich the last piece of the plate is held and presented to the cuttersto be trimmed. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the holder.

The machine used for chopping or cutting up sheet metal into tack ornail plates, as heretofore constructed, has been provided with one ormore gages, capable of adjustment, to vary the width of the strip to becut; and as the edge of the plate from which the strips are to be cut isnot often square or even, (ren dering it necessary to trim ofl' thefront edge before cutting into strips,) it has heretofore been customaryto first set the gage or gages close up to the cutters for trimming, andthen trim the edges of a considerable number of plates, after which thegage or gages have been again adjusted at the proper distance from thecutters, and the trimmed plates then cut up into strips for nail or tackplates.

,These operations necessitate two separate handlings of each plateoncefor trimming the edge, and again for cutting up.

The object of the first part of my invention is to overcome thisobjection; and consists in the combination, with the cutters, of one ormore adjustable gages, whichare connected with a treadle or levermechanism, and pro= vided with suitable stops, by which construction thegage or gages can be instantly set by a movement of a treadle or leverat the required distance from the cutters for trimming,

and after the edge of the plate has been trimmed, again adjusted by theoperating mechanism to the required distance from the cutters forcutting up the plate, which thus:

requires to be handled but once.

My invention also consists in an adjustable holder, which is operatedbyhand or by suitable mechanism, this holder being intended to hold thelast piece of the plate, (reversed,)

and present it to the cutters, so that a strip of proper width may beout therefrom, it hav-' ing been heretofore necessary to trim this lastpiece in an ordinary slittingmachine, as it couldnot be out by thechopping-machine onaccount of not having sufficient width to al low ofits being held up to the cutters.

My invention also consists in a series of' graded stops for the holderto strike against,

these stops projecting out more or less, in or-- the top of which runsthe driving-shaft c,

which carries at one end the fly-wheelO, and at the opposite end a disk,(1, provided with a crank-pin, to which is secured the upper end of aconnecting-rod, e, the lower end of which is pivoted to a long arm, f,projecting from the upper cutter-lever D, which is pivoted be tween theside pieces of the frame A, and carries the upper cutter g, the lower orbed cutter h being secured to the front side of the frame A, to whichare also secured projecting I rests '5 t', which serve to support theplate while it is being fed forward to the cutters.

k k are adjustable gages for regulating the position of the edge ofthe'plate with respect to the cutters, and as these gages andtheiroperating mechanism are of exactly similar construction, I willdescribe but one.

The gage k is provided with'a head, 9, and slides in a suitable apertureextending through the upper cutter-lever D, the rear portion of or tackplate of any'desired width. The gage is advanced so as to bring it closeup to the cutters, 'when the edge of the plate is to be trimmed in thefollowing manner: Against therear end of the gage abuts the curved end"1201 a slide, a, which is supported in a guide i on the top of abracket, 17, and is connected with a toggle-joint, q, to which ispivoted a rod, 0", the lower end of which is jointed to an arm, 8,projecting from a rocker-shaft, t, to an arm, u, projecting from whichshaft t is pivoted a rod, 0, connected with a treadle, E; and by meansof these connections, when the treadle is depressed by the foot, thegages 70 k are pushed forward against the resistance of their springs mm into the proper position to gage the plate while its edge is beingtrimmed, a screw, to, beneath each togglejoint forming an adjustablestop for limiting the downward movement of the toggle, whereby thedistance of the gages from the cutters, when brought up for trimming,can be regulated as desired.

The curve of the end 12 of the slide a corresponds with that of the pathdescribed by the end of the gage when the lever D is moved to operatethe cutter.

- J As soon as the operation of trimming has been completed the foot isremoved from the treadle, when the gages will be carried back by -thesprings m until the stop-nuts 10 come into contact with the guides 1,when the gages will be in the proper position for the operation ofcutting up the plates into strips, as before stated; and it will thus beseen that the operations of trimming the edge of the plate and I cuttingor chopping it up into strips can both be performed with a singlehandling of the material, wherebya saving in time of from twenty-five toforty per cent. can be effected, according to the width of the stripsinto which the plate is cut.

If desired, two gages or sets of gages may be -employedone gage or setof gages for use in trimming the edge of the plate, and the other incutting it into strips; and instead of a sliding gage, as shown, one ofany other suitable construction, the position of which can be readilyadjusted by a treadle or other mechanism, may be employed, if preferred;and, if desired, a hand lever may be em- :ployed, instead of a treadle,for operating the gages.- 5

t, 'G is a long metallic apron, which is secured at its lower edge to arock-shaft, as, which is connected with the rock-shaft t by aconnection, a, so that when the treadle is depressed to bring up thegages for trimming, the apron way simultaneously with the withdrawalofthe gages, so as notto interfere with the.

dropping of the strips into their proper receptacle.

Whenthe plate has been chopped or cut up to the last piece, it becomesnecessary to employ a holder, H, Fig. 4, as this piece of the plate isnot of sufficient width to allow of its being held up to the cutters. Inusing the holder H, the last piece of the plate is reversed, and itssquare-cut edge brought up against the projecting ledge or gage b, inwhich position it is heldby the griping-levers a, which, with thehandles 15., are graspedby the handsof the operator. The holder, withthe piece of plate, is then placed upon the rests "i t, and movedforward by hand so as to properly present the last piece to the cutters,the forward movement of the holder being arrested when it has arrived inthe desired position by the adjustable gage-screws d d at its oppositeendscoming into contact with stops 0', projecting from the front of theframe A. These stops are graded, or made to project out more or lessfrom the front of the frame, and by moving the holder 11 slightly in alateral direction, the screws (1 may be brought into contact with eitherof the stops- Instead of moving the holder H by hand,

it may be operated by suitable mechanism, if desired, and the stops 0may be stationary,

as shown, or adjustable, if preferred.-

f' f f are presser-bars, which slide in guides attached to the front ofthe cutter-lever D, each bar being held down by a spring, 9, bearingagainst its upper end, and thus, when the upper cutter g is brought downto sever a strip from the plate, the lower ends of the presser-bars arebrought into contact with the upper surface of the plate, the springs gyielding as the lever D continues to descend, and causing thepresser-bars to hold the plate firmly down upon its bed while being out,

whereby itis prevented from tipping up, and

a square'even edge is thus insured.

If desired, the springs g. may be dispensed with, and the presser-barsoperated by cams, inclines, or other suitable mechanical devices. I I

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-- 1. In combination with the cutters g h, one

or more adjustable gages, connected with a treadle or lever mechanism,and provided with suitable stops, to enable them to be instantly set atdifferent distances from the cutters, as required in trimming the edgeof the plate and cutting it into strips, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the plate-cutting machine, the holder H, with itsledge b, griping-jaws for holding the plate, and adjustable gage-screws11, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The graded stops 0, in combination with the holder H, with its gages(1, substantially as and for the purpose described.

Witness my hand. this 7th day of August, A. D. 1876.

LEANDER SOULE.

In presence of P. E. TESOHEMAOHER, W. J. CAMBRIDGE.

